Getting stickers off records/sleeves

I was browsing another forum and reading that a particular disco record I've got is back in vogue and folks are willing to pay decent cash for. I'm not too attached to it, so I thought I'd take a look at my copy. While the record itself is in good condition, the label is torn where I tried to get the price tag off of it. Dammit! This has happened to me before too. Like the autographed tribe called quest record I found in the dollar bin - same thing. Or there's records with cool covers that I've tried to get the price tag off of - only to ruin the sleeve.

Sooo... Any tips on getting stickers, like price tags etc. off records/sleeves without ruining anything? I understand the need to put tags directly on the record to keep folks from price-switching, whatnot - but it's really bugging me.

well my friend there's no way thats correct to take them off , many people say woth gubegone or something in that matter ,but i believe NOT,
i dont like to put chemicals on my covers cause that will degrade the price, basicaly just leave it alone it doesnt do it any harm to leave it ,it a risk you have to take to take it off,
i myself i take my time on pulling the sticker off, realy do it slow and gently
work the edges up and then work the major part of the sticker , if it strats to pull up on the cover then leave it alone, you have to have nails for this trick NOT that i have nails but it helps out ,i have done it this way for years you learn what one you can take off and what one s you cant,if there orange for get it leave it.those tend to pull up the cover .

part 2 to my answer there's a limit on words for some reason


soome times if you leave them long enoug they can be pulled of in the summer time when it's warm, i would use a hair dryier either that will cause more gue then you need ,

if it's on the label man for get it, that different paper that will tear everytime just leave it , use it as a marker. other then that man , i tell you dont mess with it, you just down graded your record for rippin the label.that sucks and if the vinyl is in good condition then you prolly wont get that much for it,

you need to have vinyl in nm to vgdouble plus to get some money for records and depending on how rare it is,you maybe lucky and get some good money.

i have dealt with cats on ebay that have tore tags off the record and they fuct it up , just make sure you put everything thats wrong with it, dont be shadey.
thats why i say leave the tag on for someone else to take it off.
good luck
peace

man this many post to answer this one whats up with this

Ha-ha - yeah - five responses from the same cat! Thanks for the insight, though. I figured as much - but I wasn't sure if there wasn't some trick I hadn't thought of. I'd thought of a blowdryer, but I imagine it might mess with label itself, which would defeat the purpose. And goo-b-gone - yeah I wouldn't use that on my records either.

I guess I better just learn to leave well enough alone. It's just annoying that's all. I bought record in question for 4 bucks in the first place, I guess I'll just keep it. Not like I'm losing out on an investment.

I've had much success with this technique:

what you'll need-
-brand new razorblade
-goo gone
-an old rag
-a flat surface

A word of caution, as ede said there is no real need for this as you have a better chance of ruining the value of a cover by trying to remove a sticker than by leaving it be.

My method works best on laminated covers fyi, try it on different types of outer sleeve material to gain understanding on what types of covers this will ruin.

First, take the record out of it's outer sleeve, place the cover on a flat surface, if it is a gate fold place the one half of the outer sleeve on the flat surface.

Second make sure you area with the sticker to be removed is flat then ease the razor underneath one edge, I've found by doing this for each edge of the sticker is best. then pry the whole sticker up.

Third you will be left with a sticky residue this is what the googone and rag are for, sometimes just using your finger across it will remove it.

Like I said though this process is best for laminated outer sleeves (think CTI pressings in their prime). Some sleeves I've had the googone streak the color so don't do this on your OG 'yesterday and today'.

move number one for me, as soon as I can (usually right after I walk out of the record store and am looking at my phone trying to decide if I can get a sandwich before I have to go to work), is to pull off all stickers... Mostly it's so my non-record friends or family won't be sitting at my apartment and be tempted to start doing the math... "hmm, if this was five bucks and this one's twenty and this one's a dollar and that one is 6.99 and wait a minute then all THOSE must be um hey just how much do you spend on this stuff..." I don't need those calculations being out there...I don't really like reminding myself either...

but yeah: if you want the stickers gone, get to them early...the newer the glue is, the less time it has to like meld with the cover... and e.d.e. is right, just take it slow and stop if it's looking like a ripping situation...unless you don't care... If it's a 99cent sticker, I leave that on there, to prove my digging prowess...if it's a 2.99 sticker from 1974 when the record was new and then a 18.99 sticker from last month, I'll try and get rid of those because that's embarrassing lol...

my girlfriend runs a bookstore and they use rubbing alcohol I think... maybe some nail polish remover, in small amounts on a cotton ball or whatever...just be careful...

man i have too many records... :oops:

yeah good tips, i 'm trying not to take anything off my records anymore cause it realy fucs with the price of the record,if you check the price guides you'll see that only the mint and near mint copys are the only records worth money,

risch ...man i use to do that with the blade but it got to the point where sometimes you cut into the cover and i stopped that,

bobbybigbeats... sometimes if you get stickers from way back i the days they come off easier the bright orange ones those pop off some times,

i like to leave me prices on them sometimes cause i dig that...it adds to it's authenticity. like we got an OG bongo band record in our store and it has on it 2 for 1$ this record was sold at a toy store back then in 73, and we got a 200$ price tag on it. it's mint still sealed. this record goes for more then what we sell it for.

yeah it can be a real pain in the ass some times but you'll get use to it after so many yrs.

i know a dude tha uses a screw driver to take the stickers off,.....that sh!t makes my cringe

dj e.d.e wrote:
risch ...man i use to do that with the blade but it got to the point where sometimes you cut into the cover and i stopped that,

Yeah thanks for brining that up, that's why I was trying to emphasize the flatness required to pull this trick off. unless you use a really narrow blade (xacto knife?) to get under it you have to make sure all side of the blade are attacking the record surface flat.

trust me i have tried all double sided blades, exacto, regular blades you still end up kuttin the cover in some way,
thats why i stopped that and i get the cringe when my friend uses a screw driver.

but if you figured out a way that works thats all that matters, i know i wont use it ,cause i'm cool with juat peeling and if it dont lift fuc it.

saw someone at my local record spot use lighter fluid, worked like a charm, but im not sure if the fluid soaked into the record sleeve........

light it on fire then dip it in water


works all the time..